Iryna Kuchma is the Open Access Programme Manager for EIFL. Iryna has been managing the Open Access programme since 2008. Her responsibilities include the development, delivery and evaluation of a range of open access related activities.

Under Iryna's management, the Open Access Programme has many achievements, including the establishment of more than 700 open access repositories and more than 4,000 open access journals in EIFL's partner countries. The programme also supported the development of 54 open access policies in EIFL partner countries, opening up a wealth of new knowledge and research to the world. An expert on open access in developing and transition countries, Iryna is frequently asked to speak at conferences and open access events around the world. Before joining EIFL, Iryna worked as an Information Programme Manager at the International Renaissance Foundation (part of Soros Foundation network in Ukraine) and also coordinated the Arts and Culture Programme there.

Iryna is a member of Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) Advisory Board, DSpace Community Advisory Team (DCAT), NDLTD (Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations) Board of Directors, the Open Library of Humanities Internationalisation Committee, PLOS (Public Library of Science) International Advisory Group, and the Open Access Button Steering Committee. Iryna also chairs a Working Group ‘Repository and Repository Networks Support & Training’ in the Confederation of Open Access Repositories (COAR) and a Joint ARL/CARL/COAR/LIBER Task Force on Librarians’ Competencies in Support of E-Research and Scholarly Communication.

From 2009-2010, Iryna was a Steering Committee (and Task Group) member, InterAcademy Panel (IAP) on International Issues Programme dealing with Digital Knowledge Resources and Infrastructure in Developing Countries. She has also served on the Access to Learning Award (ATLA) Committee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Library Initiative.

In 2013, Iryna received the Electronic Publishing Trust (EPT) for Development Annual Award, in recognition of her “efforts in the furtherance of open access to scholarly publications in the developing and emerging countries”.

Iryna has an M.A. in Cultural Studies from the National University ‘Kyiv-Mohyla Academy’, Ukraine.

Janet Sawaya is the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (EIFL-PLIP) Advisor for Initiatives for Africa. Her responsibilities include rolling out the EIFL-PLIP capacity building initiative for public librarians in Africa, and developing new partnerships.

Before joining EIFL, Janet worked for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, initially as programme officer in the Global Libraries Programme, and most recently as Deputy Director for Nutrition and Maternal Newborn and Child Health.

Janet has focused on achieving development outcomes by improving governance and civil society in developing countries. She previously focused on improving women’s participation in political decision-making as the executive director for Women’s Campaign International, and improved parliamentary committees and their relationships with civil society for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs in Malawi. Janet began her career in international development as a Peace Corps volunteer in Namibia.

She received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in political economy from Evergreen State College (USA) and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Georgetown University Law Center (USA).

Jean Fairbairn is the Internal Communications Manager for EIFL. Jean develops, coordinates, and manages all communication activities that engage and encourage stakeholders to support EIFL’s mission.

Jean coordinates day-to-day communications through the EIFL website, newsletters and social media and upholds the organization’s reputation by ensuring coordination and consistency in all communications. She also helps place EIFL experts in the news and online media and produces marketing and communication materials, such as annual reports, videos, brochures, and presentations.

Since 2010, Jean has supported the EIFL Public Library Innovation Programme (PLIP) by writing and developing case studies to showcase the impact of innovative public library services initiated with EIFL-PLIP support in 23 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe. The studies are based on evidence generated through impact assessment conducted by the libraries.

Jean’s expertise is in communication for development. She has 25 years’ experience developing capacity of local journalists and community-based organizations to disseminate information that improves lives, working for Open Society Foundation for South Africa, Developing Radio Partners, Internews and Healthlink Worldwide. She has published several manuals and guides to support this work.

Jean holds an M.A. in Globalization and Communication from Leicester University, UK, and a post-graduate Adult Education Diploma from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Ramune Petuchovaite is the Public Library Innovation Programme Manager for EIFL. Her responsibilities include the development, delivery and evaluation of a range of activities which support piloting innovative public library services that contribute to community development.

Since 2012, Ramune has worked with over 30 projects in more than 20 developing and transition economy countries focused on crucial community development needs, such as farming, health, employment, education and social inclusion. She has also helped to develop the framework for public librarians’ capacity building initiatives in Africa.

Prior to joining EIFL, Ramune served as Chief Specialist at the Division of Information Society Development of the Ministry of Culture of Republic of Lithuania. There she was responsible for coordinating the implementation of the state-funded library renovation and modernization programme. During her term at the Ministry of Culture, a countrywide project ‘Libraries for Innovation’ was launched. This $36 million dollar project, co-funded with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, helped over 1,300 public libraries in Lithuania start or improve public access to computer and internet services, and provide ICT skills training to local communities. This effort significantly contributed to a 15 per cent increase of regular internet users in Lithuania, during the period of 2008-2013. Under Ramune’s leadership the Ministry of Culture initiated changes to the library legislation which improved library management and services in Lithuania.

Ramune has also lectured library and information students on library management, project management and other subjects at the Faculty of Communication, Vilnius University.

Rima Kupryte is the Director of EIFL. Rima oversees the implementation of EIFL’s overall organizational strategy and operations. Rima has been managing EIFL since its inception. Under Rima’s leadership, EIFL has grown into a thriving international organization working in more than 60 developing and transition economy countries.

Rima’s deep knowledge of library infrastructure and international development has led to the strategic expansion of EIFL’s key programmes which help people to access and use information for education, learning, research and sustainable community development.

Rima joined EIFL from the Open Society Institute - Budapest (currently known as the Open Society Foundations), where she managed the Network Library Programme, supporting library development in approximately 35 countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Africa.

In 2008, the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) awarded Rima the IFLA Medal, one of the highest professional accolades, for her contributions to international librarianship.

Romy Beard is the Manager of the Licensing Programme for EIFL. Romy negotiates with publishers to secure affordable access to commercial e-resources on behalf of EIFL partner countries and works with library consortia to encourage subscriptions and usage.

Before joining EIFL in 2014, Romy worked in academic online publishing for the last nine years. In 2005, she started working at Oxford University Press as a Sales Representative in the Online Products department, liaising with libraries and library consortia across Europe. Romy moved to ebrary in 2008 as Regional Sales Manager for Europe where she worked with resellers in consortia in Europe, including EIFL.

Since 2011, Romy worked in the ebrary business unit at ProQuest as Publisher Relations Manager, signing agreements for e-book distribution with new publishing partners and advising existing publishers on their digital strategy and the different business models on offer to libraries. She is a member of the Association of Learned and Professional Society Publishers (ALPSP) and the United Kingdom Serials Group (UKSG).

Romy holds a First Class honours degree in English Language and Literature from the University of Glasgow, UK, and a postgraduate MA in English Literature from the University of Warwick, UK.

Teresa Hackett is the Copyright and Libraries Programme Manager for EIFL. Teresa launched the programme in 2005, and has overseen the development and delivery of a wide range of copyright related activities.

Through her leadership Teresa has helped grow a dynamic network of specialist librarians, many of whom have achieved success in improving national copyright laws that are helping to maximize access to knowledge in the digital environment. Her commitment and strong advocacy skills have helped make EIFL a leading voice for copyright law reform in developing and transition countries at the international level. With extensive experience working with libraries on legal information issues and advocating for copyright reform with policy-makers, Teresa is a frequent contributor at conferences and events around the world.

Prior to joining EIFL, Teresa held a number of policy, advocacy and technical positions. From 2000-2003, she was Director of the European Bureau of Library, Information and Documentation Associations; before that she provided support to the European Commission library research programme, and was part of the team that established electronic information centres at the British Council in Germany. Teresa was a member of the Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) from 2011-2015. She currently serves on the World Blind Union (WBU) Marrakesh Strategic Advisory Group.

Teresa has an honours degree in German, History and Politics from University College Dublin, Ireland, a postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies from the University of North London, UK, and a postgraduate Diploma in Legal Studies from Dublin Institute of Technology, Ireland.

Ugne Lipeikaite is the Impact Manager for EIFL’s Public Library Innovation Programme (PLIP). Ugne oversees impact planning and evaluation for EIFL-PLIP. For the last several years, Ugne has built the impact evaluation framework and tools that are now being used by EIFL-PLIP grantees. She is also supporting the development of the librarians’ capacity building programme in Africa.

Before joining EIFL in 2011, Ugne was responsible for impact planning and evaluation of a nation-wide project, ‘Libraries for Innovation’, a $36 million dollar project co-funded by the Ministry of Culture of Lithuania and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The project helped almost 1,300 public libraries in Lithuania to develop public access to computer and internet services.

Ugne has worked on ICT diffusion and adoption projects for the Open Society Fund-Lithuania and on the e-Inclusion project ‘Rural Internet Access Points’, funded by European Union Phare Programme. She also served as a consultant to several international research projects. Ugne is a member of Statistics and Evaluation committee at the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Ugne holds a Ph.D in Communication and Information from Vilnius University, Lithuania.